Photo prompt © J Hardy Carroll
Philip was ready to fight at five. They collected him at seven. Speeches were underway by eight. At ten the fight almost started but Sean demanded payment. Philip air punched, speeches continued, payment was arranged.
Eventually, at one, gloves were donned. One pair of balloons and the other, thin and hard. Both fighters protested, wanting to withdraw. Another pair of thin hard ones were found. Someone pulled the speaker from the ring as the fighters entered. As each round ended, a speaker rose taking advantage of the break. After ten rounds a points decision awarded the fight to Sean.
My story this week is memoir. One that comes to mind whenever boxing comes to mind. There is much more to this story than this but 100 words is a small amount to convey the erection of a fence to keep non-paying locals out, the construction of a ring for the fight to take place in, the build up of Philip Kating, a South Pacific golden glove winner and Sean Sullivan, a New Zealander who had come to fight him. Before the first punch was thrown the non payers outside the fence pushed on mass and were soon enjoying the spectacle in the ring as clearly as those who had paid.
Thank you to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for hosting Friday Fictioneers and J Hardy Carroll who supplied this weeks photograph.
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
A story I would like to read about in more detail. Nice snapshot.
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I have written a full chapter on it in my memoir which will I hope be published sometime this year. Thanks.
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Dear Irene,
Fast paced memoir. Made me feel like I was watching…without paying, of course. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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LOL. You were with the majority Rochelle.
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Thankfully both boxers protested at the uneven gloves!
Crazy that it is a true story…
Well done, Madam!
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Thank you Dale. There was little about our time on the island of Tanna that wasn’t crazy.
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😊
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A tense, staccato narrative that captures the frustration of the boxers.
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And frustrated they were Penny. Thanks.
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Sounds like a memorable fight. Thanks for sharing this memoir.
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You’re welcome. Glad to share and seeing the prompt no other story would come to mind.
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Wow–well done, so much info packed into 100 words. But I’ll never understand why anyone wants to watch two men beat each other to a pulp.
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Couldn’t agree with you more. Why?
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I think for those who where there the memory will always stay… I always heard stories about the fights between Ingmar Johansson and Floyd Patterson… but that was before I was born,
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You are right Bjorn, if you were there it gets set into legendary proportions.
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I like the sequencing of time.
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Thanks Alicia
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Sounds like a crazy, fun time was had by all. How did Philip take his loss?
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He was a perfect gentleman. They had a drink together afterwards and both left the island the next day. Sadly his fists did land Philip in jail for a bit of misuse of them and later, even more sadly, someone elses fists killed him. All our dealings with him, he struck us as a lovely man and we remember him fondly.
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The pace of this was spot-on.
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Thank you Sandra.
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A lot of controversy creates a good story. Fortunately, there’s more to it. Perhaps, one day, you’ll write about. I enjoyed your take on the photo prompt.
Isadora 😎
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Yes it has a chapter in my memoir which will be published some time this year. Thanks.
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I look forward to its release. Advance Congratulations !!! 😎
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Thanks
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Thanks for the back story!
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You’re welcome.
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There’s a hell of a lot going on here – are you planning an expanded version?
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It has a full chapter devoted to it in the memoir I have written of our time on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu. Sometime this year it will be published.
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